Italianate Mansion offers elegance and a view

Museum Hill Bed & Breakfast, like the city one can take in from its wraparound porch, embodies resilience in its historic beauty.

The original three-story mansion was built in the 1880s by a prominent grocer, later owned by Ernest E. Chase, whose company “invented” the still-popular “Cherry Mash” candy bar.

A fire in 1995 severely damaged the home and it faced condemnation by the city. In stepped John and Karen Wood and six years of restoration work.

This past April, John and Beth Courter bought gloriously restored home and opened Museum Hill B&B. John is a certified executive hospitality manager and Beth a devoted decorator and interior design specialist.

The four elegant rooms, superbly furnished in antiques along with the most modern of amenities, invite a sense of relaxation consistent with an atmosphere primed for comfort.

Room rates begin at $79 for the Ernest Chase Room to $135 for the Empire Rose Room and Emma’s Rose Garden Room. Lower rates are available Sunday through Thursday.

For reservations, call 816-387-9663 or visit www.museumhill.com for more information.

Saint George Hotel —
An experience in timeless luxury

Elegance never goes out of style, particularly when paired with history. The Saint George Hotel in Weston, MO exudes both.

Built in 1845, eight years after the founding of Weston, the Saint George was an oasis from the rigors of river life along the Missouri and the toil of frontier life. Rivermen, traveling salesmen and opportunists of every sort found refuge and comfort behind its doors.

Having endured two fires and less-than-attentive management, the historic hotel is now under the capable hands of American Hospitality Services. The company has transformed the Saint George to a deluxe boutique hotel “that meets the discriminating traveler’s needs.”

A stay in the Saint George gives the traveler access to Weston’s famed shops and restaurants, and a gateway into the history of one of the country’s most unique river towns.

Rates for the 26-room Saint George range from $79 to $279. A complimentary continental breakfast is available and upon arrival the staff will greet you with warm cookies, and may point out other goodies available at the River Bend Bakery located inside the hotel. The hotel also offers meeting space for business groups, wireless Internet and access to audio/visual equipment. A stop at The Wine Bar, with it extensive wine selection and specialty beers, can help close out a long business day.

The Saint George Hotel is located at 500 Main in Weston. Call 816-6409902 for reservations or visit www.thesaintgeorge.com.

History and proximity surround
A Planter’s Wheel B & B Inn

One of the best things about staying in a bed and breakfast is discovering the legends and history attached to the place.

At A Planter’s Wheel Bed & Breakfast Inn, located in Platte City, MO, guests can look over the woodwork, which bears the name of the home’s builder, Circuit Judge A.D. Burns.

Burns built the English saltbox-style home for his wife, Evelina and son Boone. Originally, a wrought iron fence surrounded the yard and English bulldogs protected the house and grounds.

Evelina died in 1896 and Burns married her sister, Rowena. His new wife was so jealous of her sister that she spent 25 years trying to rub Evelina’s name from her headstone.

Decades later things are different.

“We’re located near plenty of antique malls and just 18 miles from the Kansas Speedway,” said Karon Roberts, who, along with her husband, Wilbur, have owned the Planter’s Wheel for 25 years.

There are four spacious bedrooms, three of which have a private bath. A Planter’s Wheel serves a full breakfast and children and pets are welcome if prior arrangements are made.

“We have a great place for meetings, reunions and weddings,” Roberts said.

For more information on A Planter’s Wheel Bed & Breakfast Inn, call 816-560-0293 or visit www.aplanterswheel.com

Thanks to a need to see history revived, guests at the Iron Horse Hotel in Blackwater, MO can be taken back to an era when the town boomed as a major hub for the railroads.

Restored ornate woodwork from 1889, original hardwood floors, antiques and a courtyard garden are just some of the features of the hotel. Each room has its own period private bath, complete with claw foot tubs, and some rooms are equipped with a working fireplace.

Children and pets are welcome. A continental breakfast is included in the price of the rooms, which range from $89-$135 per night. For more information, call 660-846-2011 or visit www.ironhorsehotel.com

Jones Sheep Farm B&B

If you are searching for prairie heaven, then surly you’ll find it at Jones Sheep Farm Bed and Breakfast.

That’s because the 1930’s style farmhouse is reserved just for you. Nestled in a pasture setting near the Kansas Flint Hills, the farmhouse is nowhere near a big city, a highway, a telephone or even a television.

Wild prairie birds congregate near the house, which is sure to amaze the most avid of birdwatchers. And about 100 sheep graze grasslands nearby.

Marilyn and Gary Jones own the B&B, and the live across the wooded field. They are careful not intrude upon their guests’ privacy. “They don’t need to check in,” Marilyn said. “Any time after one o’clock, I leave the door open.”

She does, however, arrive in the mornings with a basket full of farm fresh breakfast goodies. Eggs are the featured main dish, collected fresh from the Jones’ chickens. Homemade sweetbread, fresh fruit in season and hand-picked flowers compliment the entrée.

“Breakfast is served when they want it, any time between five and nine,” Marilyn said.

In the meantime, you can simply sit on the porch wrapped in an old Kansas quilt and watch the sun go down. In the evening, you can fire up the wood stove to cook a country dinner.